


Pride & Prejudice & The Avengers

by LuckyBanana



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Literary References & Allusions, Pride and Prejudice References, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-10-28 21:03:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20785064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyBanana/pseuds/LuckyBanana
Summary: The title pretty much sums it up, I think.But in case it doesn't... here is a story of love, playful misunderstandings and mutual pining.Based (very loosely) on Pride and Prejudice, this story stars Bucky Barnes as the Mr. Darcy character, and you, the reader, as the Miss Elizabeth Bennett.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you'll enjoy this silly take on Pride and Prejudice (now with smut). I've taken a huge steaming pile of artistic license with the story, so please bear with me, it could go off the rails quickly. Even if you're not familiar with P&P, you'll probably still enjoy the story. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Avenger in possession of a hot body must be in want of a good fuck. 

That's the way Nat put it, anyway. And she of all people, would know. She is the Black Widow, after all. She'd long since learned that people have exactly two motivations: sex and money - and the Avengers were very well paid. 

Me, I wasn't so sure. When Steve Rogers walked into the gym that day with the new recruit, Steve was smiling, but his companion was not. 

The new recruit was tall, almost as tall as Steve, he had long hair the colour of mahogany and he was built like a brick shit house. His electric blue eyes sparkled against his pale skin, but the expression he wore on his breathtakingly gorgeous face said _'I can and will murder everyone in this room'. _

__

__

He made for an intimidating silhouette, clenching his fists as he walked. And to top it all off, he had a huge, shiny metal prosthetic where his left arm should be. 

The new recruit took his time looking at each of us, seemingly sizing us up. When his eyes caught mine, I smiled. I couldn't help it. His expression was so morose that it was almost comical. But instead of smiling back, he merely scowled harder than before. I rolled my eyes, aghast, and looked over at Nat, who smirked. 

Finally, Steve spoke up, getting the team's attention. "Alright, everyone, gather round," he said. 

Wanda, Natasha and I plopped down onto the squishy blue gym mat, sitting cross legged like students at an assembly. Sam, however, remained standing, arms crossed, glaring at the new recruit.

"I'd like to introduce you to someone," Steve continued. "My oldest friend in the world, fresh from his deprogramming in Wakanda, the former Winter Soldier: Bucky Barnes."

Steve paused as if waiting for a reaction from us, while his friend shuffled uncomfortably next to him. Not sure what to do, I started a slow clap. "Speech!' I cried. The others merely stared. Wanda giggled. 

"Hi," Bucky said, in a gravelly voice. He looked like he wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. 

Steve cleared his throat. "Anyway," he said. "As I have already told you, Bucky will be joining the team, so I hope you will all make him feel welcome." 

"Hey James," Nat winked at Bucky, raising an eyebrow. 

"Hello Natasha," Bucky replied. He did not seem overly pleased to see her, but he didn't seem overly pleased to see anyone. 

"Alright!" Steve slapped his hands together loudly. "Back to work, we have a tricky mission coming up, so I want everyone in peak shape. And don't go easy on Bucky just because he's new." 

With that, for the first time, Bucky Barnes betrayed a small smile. It was almost imperceivable, but looking at his friend, Bucky's face softened. It was quite the transformation. His face changed from murdery monster to sweet puppy - just like that. But as quickly as it came, the smile was gone, replaced with his already familiar frown. 

We split up into pairs, Sam and Wanda, and me and Nat, while Bucky and Steve watched from the sidelines. Sam and Wanda laughed as they danced around each other, Sam did his best to avoid Wanda's blasts of red energy, and held his own rather well. 

Nat and I, however, were not so evenly matched. "Alright," she said. "Let's work on your defensive techniques." I dodged out of the way to avoid a blow, but then Natasha leapt up, throwing her leg around my waist, causing me to come crashing to the ground. 

Once I could breathe again, I laughed. "I didn't see that one coming."

"Don't worry about it," she said, giving me her hand and yanking me up from the floor. "Try again."

And so it went, for about half an hour. Nat and I sparred, and though she was the clear winner, I was able to get a few jabs in. When we were finished, I was exhausted and completely covered in sweat. 

Nat moved on to spar with Wanda, so I took the opportunity to grab some water from the fountain near the locker rooms. I let the cool water run down my throat, and sighed with relief. Then I heard voices next to me. 

"Are you going to fight with anyone, or are you going to just stand there like an idiot all day?" Steve said. He and Bucky were standing by the gym wall, around the corner from the water fountain. 

"It seems pretty pointless don't you think?" Bucky responded. 

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, no one here can really beat me, can they?" 

Steve chuckled. "Well we won't know until you try! You should pair up with Crystal. She's improving everyday. Maybe you could teach her something."

My ears burned at the sound of my name. 

"No. No way," Bucky said. My heart fell. 

"Why not?" Steve insisted. 

"Are you kidding? She's weak. You saw how Natasha laid her out."

Steve chuckled, knowingly. "Geez Buck, why you gotta be that way? Don't judge a book by its cover. Just try it, she may surprise you." 

"Not a chance. It would be a waste of my time and hers."

"Fuck, fine. Go pair up with Sam," Steve relented. 

Though I didn't even know him, his words stung. I don't know why I sought approval from that arrogant, grumpy, hateful man - but I did. 

I crossed my arms and returned to the center of the gym. Nat jogged up and joined me in watching Bucky and Sam exchanging blows. I had to admit, Bucky was graceful and efficient in his movements, and clearly very very strong. It was kind of beautiful, though it made me grit my teeth with anger. 

"So," I said, turning to Nat. "_James_, huh? Do you two know each other?" 

"Well, sort of," Nat snickered. "I knew him when he was the Winter Soldier. He helped to train me in the red room." 

My eyes went so wide, they almost fell out of my head. "Seriously? Holy shit! What was he like?" 

"Oh, you know - cold, cruel, slightly sadistic - what you would expect," Nat said and shrugged. 

"How can you stand to be around him? Don't you want to kick his ass?"

"Naw, it was a long time ago. And that's not who he is anymore."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure."

"Why? What do you know?"

"You should have heard the things he said about me," I said. "He called me weak, and a waste of time."

"What a prick!! Did you kick him in the nuts?" 

"No," I chuckled. "He didn't know I could hear him - but still." 

"You gotta go show him what you can do. He deserves it." 

"Yeah, I think you're right," I said, holding my head high and marching over to Bucky. 

He opened his eyes wide when I stopped in front of him. He was so much taller than me that I had to crane my neck to look up at him. 

"It occurs to me that we haven't yet been properly introduced," I said, extending my hand to him. "They call me Crystal." And Bucky was about to find out why. 

He reached out and gripped my hand. Without mercy or regret, I unleashed my power. Tiny bolts of electricity ran down my arm, coming to a crest where our hands met. Blasts of white hot lightning danced on Bucky's skin, resembling tiny crystals that sparkled brightly as they snapped and popped. 

Bucky cried out in pain and fell to his knees. He tried to let go of my hand but I held on tight, marvelling at how the electricity moved through him. I'd barely used half my strength, but it had rendered him practically incapacitated. 

Then something happened that I was not expecting. Bucky grabbed my hand with his metal arm. The metal worked as a conductor, causing the electricity to shoot out in all directions - away from Bucky's body. 

The rest of the group jumped back to avoid the sparks that exploded all around us. Bucky got up from the floor and looked me in the eye before releasing my hand. 

All was silent again while we caught our breaths. 

"What the hell just happened?" Sam exclaimed. 

"This little lady just tried to zap me into oblivion, that's what," Bucky said, but he didn't sound angry, quite the contrary. There was laughter in his voice. 

"I've never seen anyone… deflect my power like that," I said, staring at Bucky's arm. 

"Must be something to do with the Vibranium," Steve stroked his chin in deep thought. 

"You two have got to duke it out," Sam said, excited. "Noone has been able to beat Crystal when she's got her spark on." 

"Except me!" Wanda said, giggling. 

"That's true," Sam said. "But still, what a light show!" 

"Yeah, Crystal, show him what you got," Nat urged. 

I looked into the face of the former Winter Soldier. He had softened somehow. His expression was no longer full of malice, but something like quiet admiration. He nodded slightly, and held out his hand, like an invitation to dance. 

I stood there for a moment then shook my head. "No, I don't think I will."

Bucky let his hand drop to his side and frowned again, more profoundly than before.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh my God, he is absolutely the worst," I said, flopping down on my back onto Nat's bed. 

"Oh, I don't know," Wanda said, fixing her hair in the mirror. "I think he's pretty cute." 

"He's more than cute. He's fucking gorgeous, and that just makes me hate him even more," I said through clenched teeth. 

"Crys, don't you think you're being a little hard on Bucky?" Nat suggested. "He seemed pretty eager to work with you at the end there."

"No. Just because he can weirdly deflect my power he thinks he has some kind of claim on me. He's just trying to scare me." I shook my head furiously. "Well, he's got another thing coming. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.' 

"Yeah! You show that hot freak who's boss!" Wanda cried, giving me an enthusiastic high five. 

"And you'll have plenty of time to do it," Nat smirked. "Steve said be wants to train the two of you together. So you can be partners."

I shot up on the bed. "What? Why??" 

Nat rolled her eyes. "Probably because he's the only one who can withstand your lightning bolts. And shoot them across the room, apparently."

"Fuck." I said. It was true. My power was strong, but I could only shock people when I touched them. Maybe with Bucky's help I could learn to control it better… 

But nope: I'd already made up my mind.

"Well, that might be the case, but I can promise you one thing with absolute certainty;" I said. "I will never be partners with Bucky Barnes."

*  
"So, you and Bucky are going to be partners," Steve said, as a matter of fact. 

"Oh for fuck's sake! WHY?"

"Whoa, Crys," Steve chuckled. "Calm down. I know he's a little cranky, but Bucky's really not so bad once you get to know him."

"He's a jerk," I said, crossing my arms and pouting like a child. 

"Well, I'm sorry you think that, but you gotta admit, it was pretty cool what he did with your lightening," Steve proceeded to mime finger guns and make laser beam sounds. I merely frowned harder. 

Steve cleared his throat. "Anyway… we're going to work on it once we get back. You two are going to make a dynamite team, trust me."

I groaned and Steve laughed, patting me lightly on the shoulder. Sam walked into the room carrying a huge pack of equipment. 

"We're just going to do some recon for the mission, but we'll be back in time for Tony's party," Steve said. 

"The party… I almost forgot," I said. 

"Be good," Steve said. 

"See you later, Sparky," Sam said, following Steve out the door. 

I flopped down onto the couch in the common room in a huff. I really wanted to talk to Nat, but she was heading off on her own mission, and wouldn't even be back in time for the party. I sighed with displeasure at the thought of facing another fancy party without my best friend. Especially since the party was in honour of someone I hated. 

The boys were away and Wanda was napping, so I decided to take advantage of some much needed alone time. I wandered over to my room and peeled off my jammies. I looked at myself in the mirror, and was pleased with what I saw. 

The training was really starting to work, and my body was becoming toned and strong. I stretched out my arm and watched the tiny crystalline sparks dance across my skin, and once again I wondered where this mysterious power came from. 

I grabbed my favourite silk robe and revelled in the sensation of the smooth fabric grazing my naked skin. The robe was short and just barely covered my bum. I would never have left my room wearing it, but since nobody was around, I walked confidently down the hallway to the bathroom. 

"Jesus Christ!" I screamed when I opened the door. "What the hell are you doing in here??" 

Standing in front of the mirror, brushing his teeth, was a half naked Bucky Barnes. His dark hair hung loose at his shoulders, still wet from the shower. Tiny droplets of water rolled down his bare chest and disappeared into the towel that was hastily draped around his hips. 

My jaw hit the floor. I was equal parts pissed off and horny. God damn he was a good looking man. 

"I live here, remember?" Bucky said, casually, spitting the remains of the toothpaste into the sink. He seemed completely unphased by the intrusion, in fact, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 

"I thought you left with Steve!"

"Nope," he said, looking back into the mirror and pushing his wet hair back from his forehead. 

"But… this… this is my bathroom!" I stuttered, annoyed at the fact that all the blood had rushed to my face. 

"I don't see your name on it," Bucky replied, placing his metal hand on his hip, staring down at me. 

"I… I need to take a bath," I said, clutching the thin material of my robe closed against my heaving chest. 

"Well, you'll have to wait your turn," Bucky said softly. His eyes darkened, and he slowly walked towards me. 

I held my breath, my heart was beating a mile a minute. Soon, he would be close enough to kiss me, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to stop him.

The skin of his flesh arm grazed mine and I shivered, but instead of pulling me close, he gently pushed me backwards by the shoulder, and with a huge, shit eating grin, Bucky Barnes closed the door in my face. 

*  
I gave Bucky a wide breadth, and waited in my room until he vacated the bathroom. I threw on my big, fluffy, full coverage bathrobe and marched to my bathroom, slamming the door behind me. 

I was hopping mad. Not only did Bucky have some kind of control over my powers, but now I had to share my bathroom too? 

The musky scent of Bucky's cologne still hung in the air, and I couldn't stop my mind from wandering… I looked over at the wet towel hanging from the rack - the same one that was recently draped around his hips. I thought about the subtle line that lead from his perfectly sculpted abs down to the spot between his legs… 

I bit my lip so hard that it hurt, then eased myself into the scalding hot bathwater, though at that point, a cold shower would have probably been more appropriate. 

*  
I emerged from my room even more tense than before my bath, my mind full of conflicting thoughts and emotions. 

I walked into the kitchen and stopped in my tracks. Everywhere I went, Bucky Barnes seemed to turn up like a bad penny. 

"Now you're eating my cereal??" I cried. 

Bucky looked up and sat motionless, his mouth full. He looked down at the bowl then back up at me. "This is yours?" He gestured with his spoon. 

I merely crossed my arms and glared. 

Bucky swallowed. "Sorry," he muttered with a soft smile. 

I melted a little when I saw his expression change. It was really quite miraculous how beautiful he was when he smiled. 

"Won't you join me?" he said, kicking a chair out from the table. 

"Is there any left?" I grumbled, taking the chair that was offered. 

Bucky chuckled and got up to get a bowl. He carefully prepared my breakfast for me and slid it across the table. 

"Thanks," I managed before digging in. 

Then Bucky did the most brazen, cocksure, imprudent thing imaginable - he winked at me. Again I scolded myself as I felt my skin grow hot. 

And so we sat alone together, finishing our breakfasts, surrounded by silence as heavy as lead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for the update. This story is kicking my ass. Are you guys enjoying it so far? I'm not sure if I should continue or ditch it...  
Thanks. I love you.

The night of the party arrived, and I took extra care in dressing, though I wouldn't admit to myself why I put on that expensive new dress or why I let Wanda spend an hour and a half arranging my hair in intricate curls around my head. I told myself I was doing it for me - and not the mysterious soldier who was already firmly planted under my skin. 

The dress I chose was simple, sophisticated, and slightly slutty. It was made of dark blue satin, with a tailored silhouette and a plunging neckline that created an alluring estuary between my breasts.

I watched as Wanda twirled around, showing off her gown, a purple number made of crinoline and lace. I was thankful for her company. Tony's parties always made me anxious, but I still missed Nat. Wanda was a good friend, but she was easily distracted, usually by boys. 

By the time we got downstairs, the party was already in full swing. Tony Stark had seemingly exercised some restraint when making the guest list, and the assembly was on the small side. I recognized many of the guests, SHIELD agents and friends, and almost all of the Avengers were in attendance. I waved to Maria Hill who was chatting with a very dapper looking Clint B. I saw Sharon Carter looking ravishing in red, and Tony Stark was milling through the crowd, schmoozing with Pepper Potts in toe. 

Wanda quickly abandoned me, and I watched her laughing and peacocking to the crowd of young men that surrounded her. I felt a pang of jealousy. I never was one to seek out the approval of men, nor did I regularly receive it. I'd always told myself that I preferred solitude, but lately it felt a lot more like loneliness. 

I sighed, but plastered a content smile on my powdered face. I didn't see Bucky Barnes anywhere. I wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't come at all, even though the party was in his honour. I couldn't imagine him dressed up in a suit - he was clearly more of a sweatpants and t-shirt kinda guy. I tried to ignore the nagging feeling of disappointment that tugged at my gut. 

Soon, my attention was grabbed when I heard Thor's booming laugh from the middle of the room. I couldn't help but giggle, the Asguardian's laugh was contagious. Standing next to Thor was a man I didn't recognize. He was tall, slim, and dressed all in black. His long black hair framed his sharp, cunning features and his smokey blue eyes seemed to be criticizing everything around him. He was beautiful, to be sure, if slightly intimidating. 

As if he could read my mind, he slowly turned his head and trained his blue eyes on me. Suddenly all thoughts of my elusive super soldier dissolved like air. I swear my heart stopped beating. It felt like the man in black could see right through me, through my clothes and my skin, watching the blood screaming through my veins. When he smiled, I shivered.

I wanted him. 

And from the way he licked his lips, he seemed to want me too. 

We moved towards each other as if guided by magnets. The crowd seemed to part in knowing awe - but really, no one took notice of us at all. I thought I heard my name over the din of the crowd, but it wasn't enough to snap me out of my determined stupor.

It wasn't until I collided with a wall of rock solid muscle did I finally come back to my senses. I shook my head, as if clearing away the cobwebs. 

"How drunk are you?" the wall smirked down at me, holding me firmly by the shoulders. 

I looked up and finally realized that it was the guest of honour with his hands upon me. 

"I'm not drunk," I sneered, shrugging out of his grasp. 

Then I took a real, hard look at Bucky. He was wearing a fitted dark blue suit which clung perfectly to his sculpted chest and shoulders. His hair was trimmed short and pushed back from his forehead, and he was clean shaven. 

Was this the same man with the messy brown hair and disheveled workout clothes? It's no wonder I didn't recognize him. He was drop dead gorgeous. His deep blue eyes were full of mischief, and it totally caught me off guard. 

I peered over Bucky's shoulder; the mystery man in black looked at us and frowned. He shook his head slowly and began to walk away. 

I cursed my bad luck and promptly took it out on my companion. "Well, don't you clean up nice," I said with venom in my words. 

Bucky merely chuckled. "You don't look so bad yourself," he said. Before he could add a sarcastic remark, his expression changed to one of panic. "Uh-oh," he said. 

"What?"

"Dance with me," he said, not waiting for a response. He grabbed me firmly by the hand and spun me around in a small circle, leading us further into the throng of dancers. 

"Hey!" I protested, but my heart wasn't in it. Bucky was a wonderful dancer, and his hands on my waist were warm and pleasing. 

"Sorry," he smirked. He wasn't sorry. 

"You just take what you want, don't you?" The words came out much flirtier than I intended. 

"What makes you think that I want you?" Bucky laughed. 

I made a face. "Duh, you're basically forcing me to dance with you."

"Oh, don't pretend you don't like it," he smiled and gave my hips a little squeeze. He was right. I did like it, being in his arms was intoxicating. But there was no way I was going to let him know that. 

"Anyway, maybe I'm just using you as a distraction," Bucky nodded towards Tony Stark, who was glaring at us from the edge of the dancefloor. 

"Not a fan of the attention?" I said. 

"No. The minute Tony gets me alone, he's going to make some big announcement and embarrass the hell out of me."

I laughed out loud. "Tony loves it when he gets a new pet. You have to let him show you off."

Bucky groaned. "Highly unnecessary, if you ask me."

"So really, you should be thanking me," I said. "For saving you from total mortification."

With that, Bucky pulled me a little tighter. "Well honey," he said softly. "there's no one else I'd rather be indebted to."

He was so close that I could feel his breath on my face. He smelled amazing, like autumn and oak and subtle spicy cologne. 

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could, his face fell, turning blacker than I'd ever seen it. 

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt," the man in black stood tall next to Bucky. "But Mr. Stark requires your presence." 

"I'm sure he does," Bucky set his jaw, throwing flames of hatred towards the intruder. "Sorry, doll," Bucky said, turning back to me. "Duty calls."

The man in black nodded as Bucky turned to leave. "Sergeant." 

"Loki." Bucky nodded back, though his eyes were full of malice. Bucky gave my hand a final squeeze before taking his leave, marching towards Tony Stark reluctantly. 

"May I cut in?" Loki asked, flashing me a cunning smile. Once again, a torrent of wanton lust consumed me. His looks indicated someone cold and dangerous, but when Loki smiled, I melted. 

"Certainly," I said, gently resting my hands on his shoulders. He wasn't warm like Bucky was, but he was no less imposing as he enveloped me in his grasp. 

"I have to admit," Loki began. "I'm not accustomed to doing errands for Tony Stark, but the opportunity to steal you away from Sergeant Barnes was too tempting."

I laughed. I could feel all the blood rush to my face. "Well, the intrusion was not unwelcome, believe me."

"Are you and the Sergeant not… friends?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"No, I can't say that we are," I rolled my eyes. Truthfully I didn't know what we were. Half the time I wanted to kiss him, the other I wanted to sock him in the nuts. 

"I admit, I'm relieved," Loki said, a small smile gracing his face. 

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, other than the fact that he was hogging the most desirable dance partner at the party," Loki swooned. "But the Sergeant and I have a… sordid history." 

"Really? But…"

"You might have noticed the cold manner of our greeting. I'm afraid there is some bad blood between us."

"You knew Bucky… before?"

"When he was the Winter Soldier, yes" Loki said, eyes downcast. "It was a girl… a woman… that came between us."

Loki's expression was overcome with sadness, and my heart went out to him. "What happened?" I asked, not sure if I really wanted to know the answer. 

"Her name was Sara," Loki said, with a far away look. "She was an instrument of HYDRA, but she was a prisoner. She was sweet, innocent… She had powers not unlike your own, but not nearly as powerful."

I didn't stop to think why Loki knew the extent of my powers, but waited for him to continue.

"We fell in love. I tried to save her but… " Loki's eyes swam with tears, and it broke my heart. "The Winter Soldier got to her and… he broke her… in more ways than one."

"Oh my God, that's terrible," I said, pulling Loki a little closer. I wanted to comfort him, to dry his tears. "What happened to her?"

Loki shook his head. "I was eventually able to get her out, but she'd gone mad. She became violent, cruel… last I heard she was locked away in an asylum upstate."

"I'm so sorry, Loki. That's a real tragedy," I said. We'd stopped dancing and were merely holding each other close. "But surely you can't blame Bucky. He wasn't himself…"

"I understand that," Loki frowned. "But the Sergeant and I have never been able to put it behind us. I would like to be charitable, but never once did he try to apologize, or make amends… he continues to treat me with cold indifference, and I can't think why. Perhaps it was the guilt. One word from him and it would be forgiven - but alas, Sergeant Barnes is stubborn by nature." 

"That's monstrous!" I said. "How can you stand to be in the same room with him?" 

Loki chuckled sardonically. "It's hard to move on when one dwells too much on the past. Let's not talk anymore of it tonight. I didn't mean to sour your evening. I'd never forgive myself I'd I ruined the night of the most beautiful woman in the room." 

With that, Loki leaned in closer, so close he could almost kiss me. All thoughts of Bucky swiftly flew out of my head, and all I could see was Loki and his beautiful smokey blue eyes. He leaned down, his lips almost touching mine, when the screeching sound of feedback echoed through the room.

I blinked and looked up. On the stage, Tony Stark was testing the microphone, and a very stern looking Bucky Barnes stood next to him.

"Welcome! Welcome friends!" Tony Stark began. "I want to thank you all for coming tonight, and helping me to welcome the newest member of our little team, Bucky Barnes!" The crowd erupted in applause, while Bucky shuffled nervously on his feet. 

"I just personally have to say that I am glad you finally got your head on straight, Robocop," Tony slurred, affectionately slapping Bucky on the shoulder. Tony was clearly already four sheets to the wind. 

Tony shoved the microphone in Bucky's face and was met with a scowl. Finally, Bucky rolled his eyes and relented. "I just want to thank you all for being so kind," his sultry voice came through loud and clear. "And I look forward to working with you..." With that, Bucky looked right at me and winked. 

I crossed my arms and frowned. He had some nerve. He thought he could just ease into our lives without making amends for anything he'd done. I was perfectly disgusted. 

Bucky stepped down from the stage and began to walk towards me, but before he could corner me, I felt a cool hand cup my elbow. 

"Do you want to get out of here?" Loki whispered, causing a shiver to go up my spine. 

"Yes I do." I said, grabbing his hand and following him to the exit. 

I didn't want to look back, but I didn't have the self control, and I allowed myself a peek back at Bucky. He looked perfectly devastated, frowning as he watched us go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update! This fic is a bit of a dumpster fire. Things will get sexy soon, I promise. Please comment if you're enjoying it so far. ❤️

I thought about turning back. The look on Bucky's face just about broke my heart. What was I doing? I was not the kind of girl to go home with a man I barely knew. But there was something about the way that Loki looked at me - the way he touched me. It's like I had no dominion over my own mind anymore. 

Loki looked at me and his smokey blue eyes swirled like a riptide. He pulled me against him and kissed me. He snaked his hands around my back, up my spine and into my hair, pulling gently. My mind and body were lost to him. I thought - _what the hell. _

__

It wasn't until the elevator stopped at our floor that he finally pulled away. I opened my eyes slowly to find out that we were no longer alone. 

Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson stared at us from inside our apartment. Sam was choking back laughter while Steve blushed a deep red. 

I stumbled out of Loki's arms, feeling drunk. "Uhh…" I mumbled. Loki merely smirked.

The two men were still wearing their tactical gear, and weapons were strewn about on the coffee table. The look on Steve's face snapped me out of my lustful stupor immediately. 

"What happened?" I asked stupidly. 

Before Steve could answer, Bucky burst into the room from the stairwell. I idly wondered how he'd gotten up twenty flights of stairs so quickly, and without breaking a sweat. 

Bucky's eyes burned with rage as he looked at Loki and I, then he turned his attention to Steve.

"I'm sorry to ruin your evening," Steve began, averting his eyes from mine. "But I'm afraid duty calls. It seems the mission can't wait any longer."

"What did you find out?" Bucky asked. 

I walked further into the room, with Loki following just behind me. 

Steve finally looked up. "I'm sorry, but this is official Avengers business."

"Of course, I'm terribly sorry," Loki said. He didn't sound sorry. "Allow me to take my leave." Loki turned to me and took my hand. "Until we meet again, my darling," he said, placing a soft kiss in my palm. 

Bucky snickered, but I ignored him. After Loki was gone, the boys stared at me in silence until Sam burst out laughing. Even Steve cracked a smile. Bucky was stone faced. 

"What??" I cried. There was no way that my face would return back to its normal colour any time soon. 

"Really, Crys?" Sam said. "You can do better."

"Look, my love life is not on trial here," I spat. "Can we focus please?"

"Alright, alright. Settle down," Steve said, silencing Sam's laughter at once. "We need to get moving. Here's what Sam and I discovered during our recon," Steve said, bringing up an image on the holoscreen. An image of an old, quaint Victorian mansion was projected before us. 

"This is the Green Oaks Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Over the past few months, over 20 guests have disappeared before their check-out date," he flipped the slide. "This is Tom Edmond, the proprietor. He claims to have no idea where the guests went, and is worried that foul play is involved. Though, it seems to me that he was more concerned about the reputation of his hotel than the safety of his guests…"

"And the unpaid bills, of course," Sam added.

"Do you think he knows more than he's letting on?" I asked.

"Most definitely," Steve said. "That's why I'm sending you and Bucky to the hotel immediately - before anyone else goes missing."

With Steve's words, my stomach dropped and I winced. But maybe if we were just gathering intel, we wouldn't have to be in each other's faces…

"You are going to be working closely together, so I don't want any drama from you two," Steve said, noticing my unimpressed expression. "The one connection between all the couples that went missing were that they'd recently eloped - and had very little family."

"Basically, noone is looking for them, so everyone assumes they just ran away together," Sam said. 

I could sense what was coming, and it made me want to vomit. I hazarded a glance at Bucky. I could almost hear his jaw clenching. 

"You and Bucky will be posing as newlyweds" Steve said. "I need you to find out whatever you can, even if that means letting yourselves get abducted." 

"Is that really necessary?" I said. 

"Don't worry, Sam and I will be keeping close tabs on you," Steve said. 

But it wasn't the possibility of abduction that I was afraid of…

"Hopefully we will find the missing couples alive, but the longer we wait, the less likely that is - so gear up. You'll be shipping out 6am tomorrow morning." Steve said with finality. I could tell that the details of the mission were not up for debate, but I was going to try anyway. 

"Steve," I pulled on his arm as he turned to walk away. "I'm having some doubts…"

"I know what you're going to say," Steve said. "I'm sorry to ruin your night, and I'm sorry to put you and Buck in such an intimate situation, but it's the only way."

"But, isn't Bucky a little… conspicuous for this mission?" 

"It's autumn, it's perfectly acceptable for him to wear sleeves and gloves," Steve explained. "Plus, now that he's had his… makeover… " Steve smirked, gesturing to Bucky who was standing on the other side of the living room; he was nervously pushing his newly short hair back from his forehead. "He's pretty much unrecognizable to the public." 

"Look, I know he's your friend but… I just don't trust him." 

"Is this you or Loki talking?" 

"But he said…" 

"Look, I don't know the details, but I do know that Loki can not be trusted. Bucky can. I would bet my life on it. It's going to be alright, Crys, I promise." 

I wandered back to my room and flopped down on my bed. My heart and soul were heavy. I was nervous about the mission, and disappointed about how the evening had progressed. And now I was stuck doing a mission with someone I loathed. My mind was eased, however, once I checked my phone. 

_I can't tell you how disappointed I am that our evening was cut short. I hope that you will allow me to take you out on a real date once you return from your mission. Please be safe, my dear. It would break my heart if you came to any danger. Yours affectionately, Loki_

__

I'd never seen anyone end a text with a salutation like that before. But, I supposed that it was unusual for a God from another world to be texting at all. I decided it was charming. 

_Looking forward to it._

__

__

*  
"I believe we should attempt some kind of conversation, Sergeant Barnes, or this will be a very long trip indeed."

Bucky continued to look out the airplane widow, motionless. 

"Or very little will suffice," I said, rolling my eyes. 

"Don't call me Barnes."

"What?"

"You'll blow our cover. We're Jim and Lucy Green. Call me Jim from now on."

"Whatever you say, Jimmy." 

Bucky winced. "The flight is only an hour, you can't keep your mouth shut for an hour?" he sneered. 

"Wow," I said. "Talk about blowing our cover. We're supposed to be newlyweds. You could try being a little nicer to me." 

Bucky sighed and finally turned to look at me. There was something in his crystal blue eyes that wasn't malice. 

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just nervous. I shouldn't take it out on you." 

He was being sincere, which surprised me. "It's going to be okay Bu… I mean - Jim," I said. "You might annoy the shit out of me, but I got your back. You don't have to worry." 

With that, Bucky smiled. To my surprise, he took my hand and squeezed it. "I appreciate that, really…" 

To my embarrassment, I could feel myself blush at the contact. His human hand was warm. 

"You're welcome." I managed. 

The rest of the brief flight passed pleasantly enough, while Bucky and I got our stories straight.

Lucy and Jim met at the coffee shop that I worked at. My parents didn't approve of him because he was broke and worked at a bike shop. So, we eloped and my parents disowned me. Jim's parents were both dead. 

"Aww, you're an orphan?" I said.

"Well, beats trying to explain why they wouldn't be looking for me. " 

"That's true. There's no way anyone would believe that they didn't approve of your choice of wife," I said with a big cheeky smile. 

"That's true," Bucky smiled. "I know my parents would have been proud if I'd brought home a pretty dame like you."

"Well, thanks. I guess," I laughed. 

"What about you? Do you think your parents would approve of me?"

My face fell. "I honestly don't know… I don't know who my parents are." 

"What do you mean?"

"I don't remember anything before the accident. Before… this." A single crystal spark ignited at the end of my fingertip, emitting a small cracking sound. 

A lady in the row next to us glared at me, startled by the sudden flash of light. Bucky was quick to react.

"Just a little static, " he said, smiling brightly. The woman frowned. I don't think she believed him.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, really," Bucky said. "Believe it or not, I know what it's like. I've had some memory issues myself."

I managed a small smile.

"My parents were the sweetest people you'd ever meet," Bucky said. "My dad liked to build model trains, and my mom made the best chocolate chip cookies in the universe. And I wasn't lying. They would have loved you." 

I could feel tears threaten to roll down my face. "Thanks Jimmy." 

"You're welcome, Lucy," he said softly, grabbing my hand and holding it tightly as the plane started its slow descent.


End file.
